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Chapter 13
The Presidency
Roles of the President
Chief of State
Chief Executive
Chief Administrator
Chief Diplomat
Commander in Chief
Chief Legislator
Party Chief
Chief Citizen
Qualifications to be President
At least 35 Years Old
Natural Born Citizen
Live in the United States
for 14 Years
Presidential Terms 4 Year Term
May be elected to 2 Terms
May Serve up to 10 Years.
How can this be?
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Presidential Pay & Benefits $400,000 Salary
$50,000 Expense
Account
Live in White House
(132 Rooms)
Fleet of Automobiles
Air Force One
Other planes and
helicopters
Camp David
Finest Medical Care
Available
Other Fringe Benefits
Presidential
Succession
25th Amendment
Officially designated the VP to take over upon death or removal of the President
Presidential Succession Act
of 1947
- refer to the chart for the line of succession
Roles of the Vice President
President of the Senate
Can only vote to break a tie
Cannot debate on Senate
floor
Help decide the decision of
Presidential Disability
“Balance the Ticket” Presidential candidates
will choose a running mate who can strengthen his chance of being elected by virtue of certain ideological, geographic, racial, ethnic, gender or other characteristics Vice President Joe
Biden was selected for his foreign policy experience – a perceived weakness on the part of Barack Obama
Presidential Election
Why not a popular vote?
What is a Presidential Elector?
Who did the Framers intend the Electors to be?
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Election of 1800 & the 12th Amendment Presidential Primaries
Primary – an election in
which a party’s voters (1)
choose some or all of a
State’s party organization’s
delegates to their party’s
national convention and/or
(2) express a preference
among various contenders
for their party’s presidential
nomination
Presidential Primaries
Who holds the
first Presidential
Primary?
What is the
winner take all
primary?
What is
proportional
representation?
Caucus
Caucus – as a nominating device, a group of like minded people who meet to select the candidates they will support in an upcoming election.
Which state holds the first caucus?
National Convention
National Convention
Meeting in which
delegates vote to pick
their Presidential and VP
candidates
What are the three goals
of the National
Convention
Name party’s President
and VP candidates
Bring about party unity
Adopt Party Platform
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National Convention - Keynote Address
speech given by one of
the party’s most
accomplished orators,
glorifying the party’s
history, its leaders, and its
programs, blisters the
opposing party, and
predict a resounding
victory in November
Who gets nominated?
Incumbents, Electable, Governors, Senators,
Religion?
Presidential Election
Who do you really vote
for?
Why are Presidential
Electors called a “rubber
stamp”?
What happens if there is
a tie?
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Flaws in Electoral
System
Winner of popular vote could lose Presidency JQ Adams vs. Jackson (1824),
Hayes vs. Tilden (1876), Harrison vs. Cleveland (1888) Bush vs. Gore (2000)
Electors are not required to vote in accord w/ popular vote Has occurred 11 times
Never affected the outcome of an election
Any election may have to be decided by House of Representatives Thomas Jefferson tied Aaron
Burr (1800)
No candidate had an electoral majority, John Quincy Adams selected over Andrew Jackson (popular vote winner)
Reform Plans
District Plan
Proportional Plan
Direct Popular Election Plan
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Supporters of Electoral College
It is a known process
Any reform plans have
defects as well
It identifies winner
quickly and certainly
Chapter 14:
The Presidency in Action
What is meant by executive power?
Some have argued for a
weak president, subordinate
to Congress
Some have argued for a
stronger, independent, and
coequal President
Presidential Powers
Command armed forces
Make treaties
Approve or veto acts of Congress
Send and receive diplomatic representatives
Grant pardons and reprieves
Take care that laws be faithfully executed
Growth of Presidential Powers
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What really is the role of the President? Imperial Presidency
President ruling as an
emperor – taking strong
actions w/out the consulting
Congress or seeking approval
(sometimes acting in secrecy
to evade or even deceive
Congress)
Why might people fear an
imperial presidency?
Oath of Office Which laws is the President
responsible for carrying out?
All federal laws
Armed forces
Social security
Gun control
Minimum wage
Affirmative action
Environmental protection
Air traffic safety
Immigration
Housing
Taxes
Executive Orders
Directive, rule, or
regulation that has the
effect of law, without
Congressional approval
Where do these
ordinance powers come
from?
Who does the President appoint?
Ambassadors and other
diplomats
Cabinet members
Heads of independent
agencies (EPA, NASA)
All federal judges, US
marshals, and attorneys
All officers in the armed
forces
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Removal Powers
Who can the President
not remove?
What power did the
Supreme Court give
Congress in the process
of removing government
officials?
Treaty
What is a treaty?
Senate’s role?
What is an executive agreement?
How does the President acknowledge other countries
and its government?
What is persona non grata?
Commander in Chief
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War Powers Resolution of 1973 Act designed to place close limits on
the President’s war making powers –
provisions include:
President must report to Congress w/in
48 hours of committing American forces
abroad
Commitment of American forces to
combat must end w/in 60 days, unless
Congress agrees to a longer period (may
be extended for 30 days)
Congress may end the combat
commitment at any time, by passing a
concurrent resolution to that effect
Message Power
What four options does the President have in
dealing with presentations from Congress? What is a line item veto?